Marcus Corporation has opened The Marc Hotel, a 175‑room independent property in downtown Milwaukee that connects directly to the Baird Center via a climate‑controlled skywalk. The new hotel adds 34,000 sq ft of meeting and event space, positioning it to capture both convention‑center traffic and local leisure demand.
The opening comes as Marcus’s hotel segment posted a 1.7 % revenue increase to $80.3 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2025, offsetting a 9.7 % decline in consolidated revenue to $210.2 million. The hotel’s launch is part of a broader strategy to maintain room supply in the city, a key factor for the Baird Center’s ability to attract larger conventions.
CEO Gregory S. Marcus explained that the move serves two objectives: it supports the city by keeping hotel room supply stable and avoids the need for costly renovations of the west‑wing guestrooms, while also mitigating the risk of new taxpayer‑subsidized rooms entering the market. The decision preserves the possibility of a future 1,000‑room headquarters hotel and strengthens Marcus’s regional diversification.
The Marc Hotel continues the legacy of the historic Hilton Milwaukee, originally opened in 1928 as the Schroeder Hotel and renamed the Marc Plaza Hotel in 1972. The west wing of the Hilton underwent a $42 million renovation that modernized 554 guestrooms and meeting spaces, and the new property is integrated into that broader refurbishment effort. The hotel also offers cross‑promotion opportunities with Marcus’s theater and Movie Tavern brands, potentially boosting overall occupancy and revenue.
"With The Marc Hotel we achieve two objectives: supporting the city and the ability for the Baird Center to attract larger conventions by maintaining the current levels of hotel room supply, and avoiding the additional investment of renovating the west wing guestrooms while facing the risk of more taxpayer‑subsidized rooms being added to this market," said CEO Gregory S. Marcus.
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